Apparatus for converting hydrocarbons



Dec. 13, 1938. J. P4 FURLONG APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONSOriginal Filed Feb. 12, 1936 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS. FOR.CONVERTING HYDRO-I OARBONS Joseph P. Furlong, Pawtucket, R. 1., assignorto Amarel Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of DelawareApplication February 12, 1936, Serial No. 63,475

Renewed July 9, 1938 g 4 Claims. (01. 196104)' width defining a zoneinto which the hydrocarbon is introduced either in liquid or vapor form.Combustion gases are provided by burning a stoichiometrical mixture ofair and fuel supplied to the combustion chamber and the gases thusformed are directed through openings in said partitions of substantiallyless area than the area of the combustion chamber. As the combustiongases enter and depart'from the zone between the partitions, a greatdeal of turbulences is eifected with the result that the combustiongases are immediately, intimately and uniformly mixed with thehydrocarbon vapors, thus facilitating the heat absorption by thehydrocarbons from the gases.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent from the following specification and accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an apparatus embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig.- 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The converter comprises a tubular steel casing I within which isarranged a highly refractory tube II, the right hand end of which may beof smaller diameter than the remainder, this tube preferably beingcomposed of material known commercially as alundum. The tube II whichforms the wall of a reaction chamber C-is supported centrally of thecasing III by a cylinder I2 of heat insulating material, such forexample, as heat insulating brick, although any other suitable heatinsulating material may be used. The left hand end of the tube II andcylinder I2 abut against a plate I3 fastened to the shell II) and havinga central aperture I4. Fastened to the plate I3 is a closure I5containing an interiorly threaded boss I 6. Also, a cap I1 carried by aplate I8 is connected to the closure I5 by bolts I9, the plate I8 beingprovided with a central aperture I81: and a plurality of smallerapertures I8b leading into the chamber Ilia. The cap I! is provided withan interiorly threaded boss 20 in which is arranged and exteriorlythreaded pipe H which extends through the central aperture I8 a, aslight clearance being provided between the pipe and the periphery ofthe aperture. A bushing 22 is threaded into the boss I6 and has its borein axial alinement with the pipe 2I. The pipe 24 leads into'the chamberI'Ia and a pipe 25 is in communication with the pipe 24. A metal tube 26is threaded into the shell I0 and extends through the insulator I2 andrefractory tube near the left hand end of the shell. A spark gap .21 ismounted in the lower end of the tube 26 and a pipe 28 leads from thechamber Ilia to the upper end of the tube 26.

' A disk 29 of steel wool or the like may be arranged in the chamberIlia when gas is used as a fuel. A'plate 30 provided with a dischargeconduit 3| is attached by bolts to the right hand end of the shell I0.

'A pipe 32 for supplying hydrocarbon to the conthe hydrocarbon isdefined by two partitions 33 and 34 of refractory material in which areprovided alined cylindrical passages of approximately one-half thediameter of the tube I I. Around the periphery of each end of eachpassageway is provided a series of pockets 35 so that the effectivearea-of the two passages is greater at each end than in the middle.Thesepockets open toward the ends of the passageway and toward theinterior thereof and are effective to create substantial turbulence inthe gases passing therethrough.

Fuel is supplied through the pipe 2| to the chamber I61; and air issupplied to the chamber IIa through the pipe 24 and passes throughapertures IIla and I8b into the chamber Ilia in which the air and fuelare thoroughly and intimately admixed. If desired, steam maybeintroduced into the air by means of the pipe 25. The fuel mixture isthen discharged through the bushing 22 into the combustion chamberthrough the aperture I4. The tube 28 by-passos a small stream of thecombustible mixture from the chamber I6a and this stream is ignited atthe spark gap 21 with resultant ignition therein of the fuel mixturepassing through the orifice I 4 into the chamber 0. The hydrocarbon tobe con verted is introduced through the pipe 32 either in the form. ofliquid or vapor and is discharged into the receiving zone between thepartitions 33 and 34 where it mixes with the combustion gases enteringthis zone through the opening in partition 33. The mixed combustiongases and hydrocarbon vapors flow through the passage in the partition34 into the chamber C. The turbulence given the combustion gases bypassage through the partition 33 and the turbulence given the mixture ofgases and vapors by passagev through the partition 34 immediately eflectintimate and uniform admixture of the gases and vapors so that the heatabsorption by the hydrocarbon vapors is at a. maximum. This conditionpromotes the desired reactions and facilitates the conversion of thehydrocarbons. After the desired conversion has been effected, thecombined gases and vapors are discharged through the pipe 3| and ifdesired are cooled by vapors or liquid introduced through the pipe 36.

The temperatures to be maintained in the chamber. C depend upon thereactions desired. The amount of steam added to the combustible mixtureis dependent upon the hydrocarbon which is to be converted and islimited to the amount required to prevent deposition of free carbon inthe tube II. The combustion of both the fuel and oxygen in thecombustible mixture is complete by reason oi the stoichiometricalproportions and thorough mixing so that there is no free oxygen in thecombustion gases and there is, therefore, no possibility-of hightemperature reactions involving free oxygen in the reaction. Thetemperature at which the combustion gases contact with the hydrocarbonis substantially the flame temperature of the combustible mixtureinasmuch as no quenching of the gases is effected before contact. Theheat absorption by the hydrocarbons is maximum by reason of the hightemperature of contact and the immediate intimate and uniform admixtureof the combustion gases with the hydrocarbons.

While the invention has been described as embodied in apparatus providedmerely with a pair of partitions forming a single zone, it is to beunderstood that the invention contemplates as well an apparatus equippedwith several partitions defining a plurality of receiving zones to anyone of which or to all of which hydrocarbons may be supplied asdescribed.

The combustion gases are introduced into the receiving zone withoutsubstantial temperature change and the maximum temperature attained bythe mixture of hydrocarbons and combustion gases is of the order of 2500F. depending upon the type of hydrocarbons and the ratio of hydrocarbonsto combustion gases. Throughout the mixture of combustion gases andhydrocarbons in the reaction zone, there is a very decided temperaturegradient. As typical of this temperature gradient, the temperatureregistered by a thermocouple T1 in one run was approximately 1400 F.

while the temperature registered by a thermocouple T2 was approximately1000 F. However, this temperature difference is'not the full measure ofthe temperature gradient since both thermocouples are spaced from theends of the reaction zone.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising an elongated chamber,means for introducing combustible mixture into said chamber at one endthereof, .an outlet at the other end of said chamber, a pair ofpartitions in said chamber defining a receiving zone of the samecross-section as said chamber, and means for introducing hydrocarbonsinto said receiving zone, each partition having a single passageway ofsubstantially less cross-section than said zone and of greater length inthe direction of flow through said chamber. than the distance betweensaid partitions.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated chamber,means for introducing combustible mixture into said chamber at one endthereof, an outlet at the other end of said chamber, a pair ofpartitions in said chamber defining a receiving zone, and means forintroducing hydrocarbons into said receiving zone, said partitionshaving cylindrical passages leading to and from said zone and being oflarger effective diameter at their ends than intermediate the same.

3. A device of the character described comprising an elongated chamber,means for introducing combustible mixture into said chamber at one endthereof, an outlet at the other end of said chamber, a pair ofpartitions in said chamber defining a receiving zone, and means forintroducing hydrocarbons into said receiving zone, said partitionshaving cylindrical passages leading to' and from said zone and'having aseries of peripheral pockets opening endwise and inwardly to effectvariation inthe effective area of said passageways throughout theirlength.

4. A device of the character described comprising an elongated chamber,means for introducing combustible mixture into said chamber at one endthereof, an outlet at the other end of said chamber, a pair ofpartitions in said chamber defining a receiving zone, and means forintroducing hydrocarbons into said receiving zone, said partitionshaving cylindrical passages leading to and from said zone and having aseries of short peripheral channels extending inwardly from each face ofthe partitions.

JOSEPH P. FURLONG.

